An Office Romance
by RayWritesThings
Summary: Linda meets Iris West on her first day at Central City Picture News.


**Hello, readers. I've decided to start cross-posting some of my fics from AO3 and tumblr over to FFN, so if you recognize this story most likely you've read it on either of my accounts there (Ray_Writes and raywritesthings, respectively). This one was a request by a mutual for a different first meeting between Linda and Iris on Iris' first day at CCPN. If you haven't read it before, I hope you enjoy!**

**-RayWritesThings**

**An Office Romance**

Linda loved her job. As relatively new as she was, she was one of the best in the Sports section and most everyone at CCPN knew it. Larkin did at least, and having the editor-in-chief on her side gave her quite a lot of freedom to cover what she wanted when she wanted. She got to come into work every day ready to do what she was passionate about.

Not all of her coworkers had the same attitude, and one of them in particular tended to get on her nerves. Mason Bridge, their resident Pulitzer-winning journalist and pain in the ass. Why he seemed determined to be a grouser and general glass-half-empty guy considering his successes in life she had no idea. She just wished he wouldn't make everyone else suffer his moods.

She also couldn't help noticing he had a different victim that morning. Right, the newbie he'd been complaining about for the past week. She must have started today. And already the man was giving her a hard time. Well, not on Linda's watch.

"You think because you write a blog that makes you a journalist? My mother writes a blog—"

"And we all start somewhere," Linda interjected as she approached. "Maybe we should dig up some high school newspaper archives, Mason, see what Pulitzer-worthy columns you were writing back then."

The man rolled his eyes, but finally backed down from his antagonism. He made for the bagels laid out on a table set against the far wall. Breakfast, the quickest and easiest way to pacify his temper.

His mentee didn't follow. Instead she turned to Linda, and in an unexpected twist Linda's breath caught in her throat.

"Thanks," the woman said. She was…was there a word for adorably sexy? Her face was an open book of emotion bubbling over, all first day nerves and excitement and curiosity. Her hair was shining in the light pouring through the office's glass walls. Even her eyes were pools of warmth and sincerity!

"Mason Bridge was one of my idols. Hearing him call my writing worthless was kind of the worst way I wanted to start this job." She was frowning now, only somehow that looked cute, like her lips were designed to form a perfect pout.

"Don't worry about it," Linda finally managed faintly, giving her head a slight shake. What was _with _her? She didn't get flustered, not just by a pretty face. "He's a grouch who gets his kicks trying to ruin everyone else's fun. Seriously, don't take it personally."

"I will try that," the other woman noted, mouth ticking up at the corners. Linda thought privately it was her natural inclination to smile. Then suddenly there was a hand being held out to her. "I'm Iris West."

"Linda Park," she stated with far more of her usual confidence. When she took the other's hand, however, she was momentarily surprised by the firm grip. "Glad to have you here."

"Glad to be getting started." Iris held her gaze for as long as Linda held her hand, which was just a beat too long.

Linda finally let go, darting a look to the side and resisting the urge to bite her lip. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Iris tuck some of her hair behind her ear.

"I guess I should go see the Chief about my first assignment." Iris half-turned, then spun back around on her heels. "Do people call him the Chief?"

"I do. But, uh, maybe stick to Larkin at first," Linda advised.

"Okay, thank you. Again," Iris added with a beam.

She found herself grinning right back. "No problem." Linda watched Iris go, still with a silly smile on her face that refused to leave for some time. Somehow she knew that something in her life had just profoundly changed from this one meeting. Was that even possible? Iris had barely lifted a finger, and yet Linda found herself inexorably drawn in. She wanted to see her smile again, hold that strong hand in hers for longer, read the other woman's blog and discover how she saw and put the world down into writing.

Why did Mason of all people get to enjoy her company? But Mason _wouldn't_ want to enjoy anyone's company, much less the company of a literal ray of sunshine like this Iris West, and suddenly Linda had herself an idea. She sidled over to him at the table and took care to keep her voice lowered and her eyes on the food.

"She can shadow me."

Mason didn't even look at her; he just scooped some more schmear onto a plastic knife. "You're in Sports."

"You don't even want her," she shot back.

"Yeah, and just because you do doesn't suddenly change what section she's writing for."

"I do plenty of investigative journalism. Just because it's about athletes—"

"Forget it," he told her. "You think if I could get away with it I wouldn't push her off on somebody? Take it up with Larkin." His plate fully loaded, he walked right around her, effectively ending the conversation.

Linda sighed. It had been a long shot, yeah, but she just couldn't shake the tiny bit of hope and desire that had taken root in her heart. She'd just never had a meeting with another person like she had with Iris, that instant connection, and even the chance to get to know her a little more would have been enough. It wasn't likely that anything else would have come of it anyway, if she was being realistic.

With that thought hanging over her Linda trudged back to her desk, for once feeling just as glum as Mason. She logged into her computer and pulled up her email, skimming the inbox without really reading anything.

"Hey, sorry to bother you again."

Linda nearly leapt out of her chair at the sound of that voice. Iris West was hovering about a foot back from her elbow, twisting a pen between her fingers with an apologetic smile.

"No, no, it's fine," she practically tripped over her own tongue to reply. "You are not a bother. Seriously. How can I help?"

"I was just wondering if that desk across from you was taken. Apparently my mentor needs his own space to work."

"I don't doubt that," she remarked dryly. Typical Mason Bridge. Although…she glanced across the room. Was she seeing things, or had he just been looking over at the two of them? Intentional or not, he'd just presented her with quite the opportunity and she wasn't about to waste it.

"And the answer is yes," Linda said as she refocused on the beautiful woman in front of her, which was the furthest thing from a hardship. "That desk is taken."

The other woman's face fell. "Oh."

"By you," she added with a completely straight face.

Iris blinked. Then a slow smile bloomed across her lips. "It is, huh?"

"You bet it is, girl. Make yourself at home." Linda couldn't hold in a laugh, and to her delight it was echoed by Iris. It sounded like music. God, was everything this woman did gorgeous?

Iris settled into her new chair and flashed yet another smile at her over her screen. "Well, I'm sure I'll learn a lot from Mason once he decides I'm a 'real' journalist. Think you could teach me about the fun in the meantime?" Her smile had turned to something more of a smirk, and coupled with an eyebrow arched in clear challenge Linda's chances of getting to know Iris more—of _something_ more—were suddenly looking pretty good.

"Yeah," she agreed, "yeah, I think I could do that."

Did she mention she _really_ loved her job?


End file.
